Edge glow lighting system



L.. L.. STEWART EDGE GLOW LIGHTING SYSTEM judy il, 194113@ 5 Shees-Sheetl Filed Dec. 3l, 1957 Juy L, i942, L, L. STEWART EDGE GLOW LIGHTINGSYSTEM 5 Shees-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 51, 1937 5 shears-sheet 3 fw/@nto 7E.-nwel L. Siga/afd uly L. NM; L, L STEWART EDGE ELow LIGHTING SYSTEM FiledDeo. 31, 1937 ,uly il; @ML L. L. STEWART EDGE GLOW LIGHTING SYSTEM 5vSheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 5l, 1937 wuord: amel L. Sien/ami my E, 1ML L.L. STEWART EDGE GLOW LIGHTING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 3l,1957 wil .Zhu/@umnllemel Si@ Ua/"2? Patented July 1, 1941 EDGE GLOWLIGHTING SYSTEM Lemuel L. Stewart, Elkhart, Ind., assigner to The AdlakeCompany, a corporation of Illinois Application December 31, 1937, SerialNo. 182,860

(Cl. 24U-1) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to edgeglow lighting which is characterized bythe sending of light longitudinally through a pane of glass to give aglowing effect or illuminate a design which has been sand-blasted, orotherwise impressed in the glass. The light source for producing theedgeglow eiect is also used to provide some form of direct or indirectlighting for general illuinination purposes.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent as thedisclosure proceeds and the description is read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a lighting system in whicha plurality of main lighting units are connected by edgeglow strips;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views taken on the lines 2-2 and 3 3,respectively, of Fig. l, both Figs. 2 and 3 being in somewhat largerscale than Fig, l;

Figs. 4, 5 and 5a are corresponding views, respectively, of a modiedform of this type of lighting;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are similar views showing still another modification ofthis type of light- Figs. 9 and l0 are bottom plan and sectional views,respectively of a lighting fixture in which a greater part of the lightrays are directed downwardly through a glass cover, and other rays aredirected laterally into an annular edgeglow ornamental plate;

Fig. 11 shows an adaptation of this invention to a lighting systemintended to be used over the windows of a railway car;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line i2--I2 of Fig.11;

Fig. 13 shows an application oi the invention to an exit sign combiningdirect illumination downward with front edgeglow illumination of theexit sign;

Fig. 14 shows the combination of edgeglow lighting with a cove;

Figs. l5.and 16 are front elevational and vertical sectional views,respectively of a lighting fixture combining edgeglow lighting withupwardly directed louvre lighting;

Fig. 17 shows a modification in which the principles of this inventionare applied to the illumination of a mirror and ornamental stripsilanking the mirror.

Figs. 18 and 19 are sectional views taken on the lines |8-I8 and |9-I9,respectively of Fig. 17;

Figs. 20 and 21 show the application of this invention to a verticaltubular xture, the section in Fig. 21 being taken on the line 2I-2I ofFig. 20;

Figs. 22 and 23, the latter being taken on the line 23-23 of Fig. 22,show a. xture in which side illumination is combined with frontedgeglow;

Figs. 24 and 25 show a modification of the same principles which areused in the fixture of Figs. 22 and 23;

Figs. 26 and 2'1 illustrate a circular bar having a glass top with asand-blasted design which is illuminated by edgeglow eiects from asource of light which also illuminates the front of the bar;

Figs. 28 and 29 show an application of this invention to a desk or tablelamp;

Fig. 30 illustrates another way in which the principles of thisinvention may be employed in a desk or table lamp.

The invention may be embodied in a variety of forms as will be apparentfrom the modifications which are shown in the drawings and willhereafter be described, butthe appended claims should not be limited bythe specific examples chosen unless required by the prior art.

In Figs. 1-8 inclusive, a lighting system is shown (in several forms)which is particularly suited to the reconstruction and re-modeling ofexisting railway `cars, or other enclosures in which spaced unitarylighting fixtures had previously been used.

Considering, by way of example, a conventional Pullman car having aseries of lighting fixtures lspaced apart a distance of i'lve or sixfeet-a very practical and efficient modernization of the lighting systemcan be effected by substituting for the usual shaded lamp a lightingunit having predetermined light distribution and connecting them with astrip of transparent material, preferably ornamented and made to glow bymeans of light passed longitudinally through the strip from the mainlighting units. The effect of the installation is to remove thedisjointed appearance of the old form of lighting and to give thelighting equipment the appearance of a continuous fixture.

A railway car is only one example of a suitable place for theutilization of the fixtures shown in Figs. 1-8, particularly, of thedrawings, and obviously the use of the lighting system is not limited tomodernization of old equipment,

whether it be in a railway car, or some other place.

Referring nowvto Figs. 1-3 inclusive, a continuous lighting system isshown in which main light units 40 are connected by glass strips 4|. 1ncases where the system is being used to modernize old equipment, theunits 40 will be merely substituted for the fixtures previously used,this having the decided advantage that no change of wiring is required.

The main light unit 40 may be of any suitable type, but preferablycomprises a lamp 42 mounted in a. socket 43 supported on a bracket 44which is soldered, welded or riveted to a reflector 45, the latterconstituting a part of the lamp housing which also includes acylindrical side wall 46 and a lamp cover 41 which comprises a lensportion 48 and a light diffusing portion 49.

The lens 48 may have any desired optical characteristics, as forexample, being shaped to provide with the adjacent lighting unitscontinuous concentrated beam lighting of the aisle. The lamp cover 41may be modified to incorporate prismaticv lenses in place of the lensportion 48 where conditions require.

n opposite sides of each lighting unit 40 are projecting sleeves 50 intowhich the end of the glass strips 4| extend. 'Ihe strips 4|, thoughpreferably of glass, may also be made of other transparent material,such for example as plastics of which phenol-formaldehyde compounds,urea- `formaldehyde compound, methyl-methacrylate resin, celluloseacetate are the most suitable.

The strips 4| in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-3 arestepped, the steps in plan being V-shaped for ornamental appearance, al-

though they may have any other desirable shape. The entire back of eachstrip, including the steps 5| and the side walls 52, is silvered toprovide a suitable reflecting surface for light rays travellinglongitudinally through the strips from the light source 42. As will beseen from Fig. 2, some light rays will strike the first step and bereflected downwardly, others the second step, and so on, with the resultthat the edgelow lighting of the strip 4| has a more or less eveneffect.

In practice, the strip 4| is most readily fabricated by being molded toshape, although other methodsv of fabrication may, of course, beemployed.

The outer ends of the strips 4| are supported by an ornamental plate 53which is suitably fastened by a screw 54 into a carline 55 or some othersuitable frame member.

Obviously, the greatest part of the lumen capacity of the light sourceis used for the vertical beam emanating from the lens 48 and the generalillumination provided through the diffusing portions 49 of the cover 41.The light which travels longitudinally through the edgeglow strips 4| isprimarily for ornamentation and to give the effect that the main units40 are tied together by a part of the lighting system.

The lighting system shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 5a is very similar to theone shown in Figs. 1-3 inclusive, the principal difference being thatthe edgeglow strips 56 are molded in the form of an inclined V-trough,as indicated at 51. As before, the upper surfaces of the strip aremirrored to reflect the light downwardly although these surfaces may besand blasted, etched, or otherwise treated to catch the longitudinallytravelling light rays and direct them downwardly.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8, a still further modification of the lighting systemis shown, this arrangement beingparticularly useful in Pullmancompartments, or like rooms. The main lighting unit 58 differs in moreor less unimportant detail from the main lighting unit 40 in Fig. 1, theprincipal 4difference being that the 1amp.59 is mounted substantiallyhorizontally instead of vertically.

The edgeglow strip 60 (Figs. 6-8 inclusive). is of the type which has asuitable design, as for example the one indicated at 6|, sand blasted.etched, or otherwise impressed in the transparent strip and lighttravelling from the source longitudinally through the strip illuminatesthe design and gives a very pleasing effect.

It is convenient to provide a night light 62 behind the ornamental plate63 which connects adjacent edgeglow strips 6| and a triangular reector64 may be employed beneath the lamp 62 to assist in directing light rayslongitudinally throughthe edgeglow strips.

The xture shown in Figs. 9 and l0 is one which is suitable for ceilinginstallations, the xtures comprising a reflector 65 within which a lamp66 is mounted. The lamp cover 61 preferably has a lens front 68 and thelamp is so placed that light from the source 66 is thrown through thelens 68, a light diffusing portion 69 of the cover, and laterallythrough an annular plate 10 of ornamental transparent material.

In Figs. l1 and 12, a light box 1| is shown mounted over the windows ofa railway car to provide downwardly directed illumination, and the boxesare connected by edgeglow strips 12 suitably ornamented withsand-blasted designs on the rear surface so that light from the lamps 13will cause them to glow. Preferably, a reflector 14 is mounted over thelamps 13 in the light box to increase the eiiciency of the downwardlydirected light.

An exit light is shown in Fig. 13 which utilizes similar principles ofillumination. Light from a light source 15 is directed downwardly by thetop rounded surface 16 of the light box through the glass pane 11 at thebottom of the box and an auxiliary reflector 18 directs some rays oflight forwardly to produce edgeglow lighting of the exit sign, the wordsof which are sand blasted or otherwise impressed in the rear face of therounded front 19. An opaque backing on the glass 19 confines thelighting of the front to light rays entering the glass along the marginof the backing.

'I'he combination of edgeglow lighting with cove lighting is shown inFig. 14, in which the ornamental edgeglow strip is mounted on a verticalwall and the light source 8| which pro vides upwardly directed indirectlighting is mounted behind a curve plate 82.

A special wall fixture is shown in Figs. 15 and 16, in which a lightsource 83 is mounted in a semi-bowl 84 to direct light upwardly throughsemicircular louvres 85 for indirect lighting and downwardly with theaid of an auxiliary reflector 86 through edgeglow strip 81 forornamental edgeglow lighting.

In Figs. 1'7-19 inclusive, the application of the principles of thisinvention to illumination on opposite sides of a mirror is shown. 'I'helight boxes generally designated 88, have a translucent cylindricalfront 89 to provide forward illumination, and a polished metal strip 98extending transversely across the rear portion of the box serves as areflecting surface for directing light rays from the lamps 9| throughthe vertically arranged ornamented edgeglow strips 92 on opposite sidesof the mirror *93.

which provides forwardly directed diifused light and an auxiliarytriangular reiiector 96 at the rear of the lamp 94 directs lightlaterally through flanking edgeglow strips 91.

Figs. 22 and 23 illustrate another type of iixture in which a tubularlamp 98 is used for providing direct edgeglow lighting. The lamp ismounted in a vertically extending oblong box 99 which has an ornamentedglass front shielded from the direct rays of the light source by anopaque plate IOI, and having light emitting side walls |02. The frontand side Walls of the fixture are joined by metal corners |03 whichserve as reflectors to direct rays from the light source laterallythrough the edgeglow front |00 to cause the sand blasted ornamentation|04 to glow.

In Figs. 24 and 25, still another type of side wall fixture is shown.Here, a pair of vertically positioned tubular lamps |05 are connected byan edgeglow plate |06 which has a suitable design or picture |01sand-blasted, or otherwise impressed, on the rear surface of the plate.'I'he vertical tubular lamps are hidden from direct view by curvedrefiector shields |08 which direct light onto other reector plates |09which preferably are mat finished to diiuse the light. Obviously acertain amount of light from the lamps |05 will pass laterally throughthe plate |06 and illuminate the ornamentation |01 impressedV on therear surface of the plate.

A bar front is shown in Figs. 26-27 in which the counter top I|0 is madeof glass, or other transparent material, and has a suitable design IIIimpressed on its under surface.v The front of the bar may have suitabledecoration, as shown at I I2, and this is illuminated by lamps I I3which are placed in an inverted trough IIA, forming the margin of thecounter. top.. Light from the lamps II3 passes horizontally through thecounter top and illuminates the ornamentation I I I.

The desk lamp shown inv Figs. 28 and 29 has an elevated light box II5provided with a light diffusing glass bottom I6 through which light fromthe lamps I I1 is dispersed into the reading or writing plane below. Therear portion of the light box II5 is connected tothe base II8 bystandards I I9 and an ornamented. edgeglow plate I20. Light from thelamps Il?, partially redirected by an auxiliary reiiector I2 I passesdownwardly through the plate |20 to illuminate the design on the back ofthe plate.

In Fig. 30, the cylindrical pedestal |22 of a table lamp is fabricatedof transparent material having suitable ornamentation sand-blasted, orotherwise impressed in the inner surfaces of the cylinder. The lamps I23 provide not only the ordinary general illumination, but also theedgeglow illumination of the standard |22.

vI claim:

l. In a lighting system for a room or the like viding a generallycontinuous elongated band of light comprising edegeglow strips havingends exposed to the lamps to receive rays therefrom and each havingmeans including .a rear surface for reflecting said received raysthrough the front surface of the strip to supplement the generalillumination of the room or the like and render said strip luminous.

2. A system as claimed in claim l, in which two separate edgeglow stripsjoin adjacent lamp covers, one end of each strip being exposed to a lampand the' other ends of the two strips being lapped over a supportingplate mountedzbet'ween the lamp sockets andl in` fixed relation`thereto..

3. A system as claimed.v in claim l, in which the edgeglow strips areconcave intransverse, cross section.

4. A system as claimed, in claim 1', in which the edgeglow strips, are,of elongated trough shape and; are of substantially V-shape in-`crosssectionalplanes taken; transversely through the strips. normal totheelongated band.

5. A system as claimedV in claim 1, inl which the edgeglowl strips areyconcave in transversecross section, and taper from the ends thereofwhich are exposed tol the: lamps to a point intermediate. a pair ofadjacent lamps.

6. A system as claimed in claim l, in which two separate edgeglow stripsJoin adjacent lamp covers, one end of each strip being relatively thickand exposed to a lampy and the strip tapering therefrom to its oppositeend, in combination with means underlapping and supporting the lastnamed ends of said two strips.

7. .A system as claimed in claim l, in which a support is provided foreach lamp cover, a reflector is carried by the support for reiiectingrays from the lamp through the cover, and the support is provided withan opening receiving and supporting an end of one of the edgeglowstrips.

8. A system as claimedin ciaim 1, in which a support is provided foreach lamp cover, a reflector is carried by the support for reflectingrays from the lamp through the cover, and each support between theendmost ones of the system is provided with a pair of opposite openingsreceiving and supporting the ends of oppositely extending edgeglowstrips.

LEMUEL L. STEWART.

